“無趣”的文在寅

Asked to define his worst attribute ahead of a televised interview earlier this year, Moon Jae-in declared he was “no fun”.

今年早些時候，當文在寅(Moon Jae-in)在接受一次電視採訪時被問到自己最大的缺點是什麼時，他鄭重其事地說是“無趣”。

The statement speaks volumes about South Korea’s likely new president that the taunt is about the worst even his political rivals can direct at him.

這個詞準確地描繪了這位韓國可能的新總統。即便是他的政治對手，可能也找不出什麼比“無趣”更惡劣的字眼來嘲諷他。

A former human rights lawyer and the son of impoverished North Korean refugees, the 64-year-old political veteran has long been known as a man of quiet principle — a reputation earned in part due to his lack of obvious charisma.

文在寅是貧窮朝鮮難民的兒子，曾經當過人權律師。這位64歲的政壇老手一直以不愛出風頭著稱。他能贏得這個名聲，部分是由於他缺乏顯而易見的魅力。

“It is hard to characterise him because he does not have a strong personality,” says Shin Yul, a professor of politics at Myongji University.

明知大學(Myongji University)政治學教授申律(Shin Yul)表示：“由於他個性不強，很難給出他的特點。”

“Always very, very serious,” is the pithy conclusion of an aide in his liberal-leaning Democratic Party.

文在寅隸屬自由主義傾向的共同民主黨(Democratic Party)。他在黨內的一名助手給他的精闢評價是：“總是非常、非常一本正經。”

Thankfully for Mr Moon, probity is the order of the day.

對文在寅來說幸運的是，正直是當下最可貴的品質。

Following a vast and at times lurid corruption scandal, former president Park Geun-hye sits in jail — her impeachment and arrest this year reigniting concerns about graft and cronyism in the east Asian nation. She denies any wrongdoing.

在捲入一樁牽扯甚廣、有時聽起來令人震驚的腐敗醜聞後，前總統朴槿惠(Park Geun-hye)被關進了監獄。對朴槿惠的彈劾及今年對她的逮捕，在這個東亞國家重新點燃了對腐敗和裙帶關係的擔憂。朴槿惠否認自己有任何不當行爲。

When the saga spilled into the public realm in October, Mr Moon moved to burnish his pro-reform credentials, establishing himself as a fixture at anti-Park demonstrations and spearheading a parliamentary impeachment bid.

去年10月，當這一離奇事件逐漸進入公衆視野時，文在寅行動了起來，努力提升其改革支持者的聲望，在反樸示威中頻頻現身，引領國會發起彈劾。

He has since pledged a host of economic, corporate and political reforms, including a promise to move the presidential office from the palatial and secretive Blue House to central government premises.

自那以來，他已承諾要開展一系列經濟、企業和政治改革，包括將總統辦公室從像宮殿一樣的、神祕的青瓦臺(Blue House)遷至韓國中央政府辦公大樓。

He also looks set to change the course of the country’s North Korea policy and has outlined a twin-track approach of increasing pressure on Pyongyang while leaving the door open for engagement.

他還決意改變韓國對朝政策路線，提出了一種雙管齊下的方式，在對朝敞開接觸大門的同時，加大對平壤方面的壓力。

“He sports a strong image as a reformist — a trait people want having gone through the so-called Park Geun-hye gate,” says Choi Jin-bong, a professor at Sungkonghoe University. “We need someone who can manage national affairs in a stable manner after months of political turmoil. Mr Moon seems the best candidate in that regard.”

聖公會大學(Sungkonghoe University)教授Choi Jin-bong表示：“他展示出強烈的改革者形象，在經歷了所謂的‘朴槿惠門’後，人們渴望這樣的人。經歷了數個月的政治動盪，我們需要能以穩定方式管理國家事務的人。從這方面來說，文在寅似乎是最佳人選。”

Should he win the presidency, Mr Moon, whose father was a destitute sock salesman, will face a host of issues and a populace riven by the historic but divisive overthrow of Ms Park.

文在寅的父親是一名貧困的襪子銷售員。如果當選總統，文在寅將面臨一系列問題和被朴槿惠倒臺撕裂的韓國民衆。朴槿惠的倒臺不僅是歷史性的，還引發了韓國社會的分裂。

Much of his reform agenda will hinge on whether he can co-opt the country’s powerful conservative bloc, and some believe his principles-first approach to policy could undermine attempts to build a consensus.

文在寅很大一部分改革議程的命運，將取決於他能否拉攏韓國強大的保守派集團。有人認爲，他在政策上以原則優先的處理方式，可能會削弱他建立共識的努力。

“Politics is all about making a consensus on contentious issues through compromises,” says Hong Sung-geol, a professor at Kookmin University. “But his tendency to be less conciliatory towards opponents makes it unlikely he can draw bipartisan support for key policies.”

韓國國民大學(Kookmin University)教授Hong Sung-gul表示：“政治的全部意義就在於通過妥協在有爭議的問題上達成共識。但他往往缺少對對手的安撫，這讓他不太可能在關鍵政策上贏得兩黨的支持。”

Born in an island refugee camp in January 1953, a few months before the end of the Korean war, Mr Moon found solace at an early age in the Catholic church, which provided meals for him and his four siblings.

文在寅1953年1月出生在一座島嶼的難民營中，當時距朝鮮戰爭停戰還有幾個月。小時候，天主教堂給了文在寅很大的安慰，爲他和他的四個兄弟姐妹提供了餐食。

After attending a prestigious high school in Busan, he studied law at Kyunghee university, where he organised protests against the regime of the country’s strongman leader Park Chung-hee — the father of the recently-impeached president.

在釜山一所著名高中畢業後，他在慶熙大學(Kyung Hee University)攻讀法學。在慶熙大學，他組織過反對韓國強人領袖朴正熙(Park Chung-hee)政權的抗議。朴正熙是最近被彈劾的朴槿惠的父親。

He was later conscripted into the nation’s special forces and trained to parachute behind North Korean lines, plant explosives and fight his way out. A 40-year-old black-and-white photograph of a beret-clad Mr Moon surfaces occasionally whenever questions arise over his national security credentials.

後來，文在寅被徵召入韓國特種部隊，接受過傘降至朝鮮後方、安放爆炸物再殺出一條血路撤出來的訓練。每當他在國家安全方面的可信度受到質疑時，一張有40年曆史的、他戴着貝雷帽的黑白照片就會不經意地冒出來。

It was not until 2003 that he cut his teeth on presidential politics when he served as chief of staff for his former legal partner and then president Roh Moo-hyun.

直到2003年，他纔開始涉足總統政治。當時，他擔任了前律所合夥人、時任韓國總統的盧武鉉(Roh Moo-hyun)的幕僚長。

Roh rose to power on a wave of nationalism that occasionally bordered on anti-Americanism — the legacy of which is still felt today, with many US officials viewing Mr Moon with suspicion.

盧武鉉是藉助一波民族主義浪潮一躍掌權的，這波民族主義有時候幾乎是反美主義的同義詞。今天人們仍能感受到這波民族主義的殘留影響，許多美國官員以懷疑的眼光看待文在寅。

South Koreans should “learn to say no” to the US, Mr Moon wrote earlier this year.

今年早些時候，文在寅寫道，韓國人應該“學會（對美國）說不”。

Prof Choi says there are expectations “for a more balanced diplomacy in his administration, away from the US-focused one”.

Choi Jin-bong教授表示，一些人預期“文在寅政府會採取更平衡的外交，不再盯着美國”。

In 2009, Roh committed suicide as a corruption investigation closed in. It was left to a tearful Mr Moon to deliver the news to the public — an event that won him praise for his loyalty and dependability.

2009年，在即將接受腐敗調查時，盧武鉉自殺身亡。將這一消息公之於衆的，正是眼含熱淚的文在寅——這件事爲他贏得了忠誠和可靠的讚譽。

Following a brief stint as a lawmaker, he declared his candidacy for the presidency in 2012, only to be narrowly beaten by Ms Park.

經歷了短暫的議員生涯後，他於2012年宣佈競選韓國總統，結果以微弱劣勢敗給了朴槿惠。

“During his first attempt at the presidency, he did not show a clear vision. But he has gained some political confidence over the years and has formed better ideas,” says Choi Jang-jip, a politics professor at Korea University.

高麗大學(Korea University)政治學教授Choi Jang-jip表示：“在第一次競選總統期間，他並未展示出清晰的願景。不過，幾年來他在政治上獲得了一定的自信，形成了更好的想法。”

For Jeong Jae-seong, a former colleague of Mr Moon, his reserved nature should not be misinterpreted as weakness.

文在寅的前同事Jeong Jae-seong認爲，文在寅內向的性格不應被錯誤解讀爲軟弱。

“He looks soft but he is tough inside.”

“他是外柔內剛。”

Additional reporting by Kang Buseong

Kang Buseong補充報道